Fibrous web feeding and flow rate decelerating method and apparatus



July 6, 1965 s. B. GORDON FIBROUS WEB FEEDING AND FLOW RATE DECELERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1962 P essure lm nvrofl 650465 5441/? GORDON JTI'OFIVE) July 6, 1965 G. B. GORDON 3,192,572

FIBROUS WEB FEEDING AND FLOW RATE DECELERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 6, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3O 34 INVE/VrOR GEORGE BLAIR GORDON [Iva/HIE) G. B. GORDON July 6, 1965 FIBROUS WEB FEEDING AND FLOW RATE DECELERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 6, 1962 United States Patent 3,192,572 FIBROUS WEB FEEDING AND FLOW RATE DE CELERATING METHQD AND APPARATUS George Blair Gordon, 1745 Cedar Ave, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed June 6, 1962, tier. No. 200,537 3 Claims. (Cl. 19-161) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing textile fibers.

One of the problems in the processing of textile fibers, particularly cotton, is the number of separate operations that have to be accomplished and that the processing has to be interrupted at the end of each operation. It is an aim of the present invention to accomplish continuously several of the steps which have previously been performed interruptedly.

More specifically, according to the invention, an existing web of fibers coming from a drawing frame, for example, is separated transversely of its length into predetermined sections each length so separated is superimposed in a staggered manner. The actual rate of flow of the web is regulated so as to allow the formation of a new Web of thickness considerably greater than that of the initial Web coming from the frame or other source. This is done continuously and means are provided whereby the thickness of the resultant new web can be controlled, by the number of layers superimposed, and the length of the predetermined section, so as to give any desired density to the resultant web. For example, presuming the web is leaving the drawing frame and is being fed in a width of approximately 4 /2 and at a thickness of about .005" and at a feeding rate of about 600 feet per minute, it is fed into the apparatus between feeding belts which are running at the same speed as the delivery from the drawing frame.

The feeding belts cooperate with a swinging arm so that, as a predetermined length of web has been advanced, it is severed and laid down in the base of an accumulator box from which it is continuously withdrawn at a controlled rate. In accordance with the invention, each web is laid in the accumulator box on top of the preceding web, so that there is a continuing overlap between webs, so that when the composite web so formed continuously is withdrawn between a pair of suitable pressure rollers the resultant compacted Web is continuous. Means, for example, in the form of airjets are preferably provided to aid the transfer of the individual webs from the feeding, separating and stacking mechanism. These act in combination with the swinging arm to ensure that each Web portion is delivered in the proper superimposed position and adheres to the previous underlying webs. The supplementary air jet means may be arranged so that, when the swinging arm is travelling in one direction, the air pressure supply will come from the opposite side to which the arm is travelling.

In accordance with the invention, preferred means for severing the individual web portions include a separator which acts at each terminal end of the stroke of a webdepositing swinging arm, so that each time the swinging arm comes to the end of a stroke, it will actuate the separator, separating a predetermined length of web so that it is delivered and stacked in the accumulator box.

The accumulator box of the invention is equipped with pick-up rolls which are adjusted, to establish the predetermined thickness of the newly formed composite web.

In accordance with the invention, the accumulator box and its associated mechanism is so designed and constructed that it is possible to control and arrive at a composite web composed of a predetermined number of sections or layers according to the formula (where N=predetermined number of layers, R =rate of flow of web delivered to the accumulator box, and L=predetermined length of section being deposited in the box), so that any desired thickness of composite web can be produced continuously from a fast moving relatively thin web sheet delivered by the drawing frame or other webforming apparatus.

It should be noted that when the sections begin to accumulate in the accumulator box, the resultant composite Web emerging from the accumulator box will gradually build up to the predetermined number of layers and will remain constant at that number once it is arrived at.

Partcular reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment of a fibrous web retarding and accumulating box in accordance with the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a complete accumulator box construction with the interior mechanism indicated in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a c-rosssectional view of the construction shown in FIGURE 1 along the line 22 to illustrate in more detail the upper portion of the swinging Web-spreading arm.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional View of the reversing airflow valve shown in the swinging arm construction of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a crosssectional view of a typical airdistributing chamber as applied to the swinging arm.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the accumulator box construction as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 5 al ng the line fi6 showing the internal mechanism in more detail.

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation of the construction shown in FIGURE 1 with a portion of the casing removed to show the relationship of the various web feeding, sepa rating and spreading elements.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower or output end of the web accumulating box constrnction of FIGURE 1 to illustate the lower end of the swinging arm and separating mechanism substantially as it would appear in operation.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged cross-section of the construc- .tion of F GURE 8 along the line 99 showing the lower end of the swinging arm and the deflecting walls of the web-accumulator box.

FIGURE 10 is an exaggerated diagrammatic view in cross-section to illustrate in more detail how the separated web layers are accumulated in the present accumulating box by the staggered piling-up of the progressively fed sections.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES l, 2, 5, and 6 to 9 of the drawings, A represents the accumulator box in general. This box is made up of side walls 15 and 17,

' and a sloping base or flOOI 19 between the walls 15 and 17. The floor 19 is provided with a pair of upwardly extending partitions 24 and 26, these partitions forming therebetween a guideway for directing the web to the outlet end of the box A.

Mountmi at the outlet end of the box A transversely are pairs of pick-up rolls 28, 30 and 32, and 34, respectively.

At the top right-hand corner of the box A, and pivotally connected to the wall I5 by shafts 21 and 22 in bearings 25 and 27, respectively, are upper and lower rolls 31 and 33, which are the forward rolls of a pair of conveyor belts 35 and 37, adapted to introduce sliver or web, coming, for example, from the delivery end of a drawing frame into the box A. A support 39, underlies the upper run of the lower belt 3'7.

Shafts d1 and42; see FIG. 2, are journalled respectively, in bearings 43 and 45, respectively on the Walls 15 and 17. Mounted between the inside ends of these shafts is a swinging arm B, having walls 47 and 49, which are connected to the ends of the shafts 41 and 42, for oscillating movement. Fixedly mounted on the shaft 42, is a sleeve 51, which carries on its outside end a driving sprocket 53, and on its inside end, a gear 55; The sprocket 53; see FIG. is connected by a chain 56 to a sprocket 57, mounted on a shaft 59, which in turn, carries a driving pulley 61, driven by a belt 63 from a suitable source of power (not shown).

The gear 55 meshes with a gear 55, mounted on a shaft 67, journalled in bearings 69 and 71, in the walls 4-7 and 49, respectively, of the swinging arm B. The shaft 67, carries a gear '73, which meshes with another gear 75.- At the opposite end of the swinging arm B, and mounted between the walls 47 and 49, are rollers 79 and $1; see FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, respectively driven by gears 73 and 75.

Belts S3 and 85, are carried by the rollers '79, 81 and the rollers 7t 72 respectively.

The swinging arm B is connected eccentrically to the disc 87, by a link 39. The link is pivoted to the side wall 49 of the swinging arm, as at 91 and the link 89, to the disc 87, as at 93.

A shaft 1ti1 between the sides and 17 of the collector box A, pivots a blade frame 163, having a downwardly extending arm 185, carrying a blade 1W7, extending inward within access of the lower end of the belts 83 and S5. The frame 1133 also carries a forwardly extending leg 199, having a padded foot 111. A spring 113, connects the frame 183 with the box A, normally to retain the blade 107 in retracted position. A similar blade frame to which similar numbers have been applied, except that they are raised by 100, is connected to the upper end of the box A on a pivot Zili, connected to the walls 15 and 17 of the collector box A. The foot 111, is adjustably mounted through a slot 110 and set screws 112, so that the stroke of the blade 107 may be adjusted. The same applies to the blade 2617 and its associated structure.

An air system for assisting the deposit of the web, on the base 19 is made up as follows.

An airline 115 leads to a connection with an inlet port 114 in a valve body 117. Exit ports 121 and 123 are also provided in the body 117, connected to airlines 125 and 127 respectively. A valve rotor 129 is provided with an opening 131. The valve rotor 129 is adapted to oscillate in such a manner that the entry port 119 is connected with the exit port 121, or 125, or to block the exit ports as the case may be.

The rotor 129; see FIG. 2 is connected to a lever 135, which has a pin 137, projecting from it. This pin works in a fork 139, connected to the main pivotal shaft 41 of the swing arm B. As the shaft 41 reciprocates back and forth, the fork oscillate back and forth, corresponding by causing an oscillating movement of the valve rotor 129.

The airline 125 leads to a distribution chamber 141, and the airline 127 to a distribution chamber 143; see FIG. 8. The distribution chamber 141, as best shown, by way of example, in FIGURE 4, is provided at its lower end with a nozzle plate 151, provided with a number of holes 153, through which air is forced.

Operation The web is delivered, from a drawing frame, for example, looking from the left, at FIGURE 1, between the belts and 37, and is transported by them toward the right to the box A, and deposited between the belts 83 and 85, of the swinging arm B.

Until the operation is established, the leading edge of the web is guided manually from the end of the belts 35, 37 to the entrance between the belts 83, 85, once operation is established. The swinging arm B, is reciprocated back and forth, by its linkage with the disc 87, and at the same time, the belts 83, 85 are driven in the downwar direction by the gearing described above. Thus, the web is continuouslyv carried from between the belts 35, 37 to d between the belts 53, 35, and transported by these belts in a downward direction.

The web is pushed out from between the lower end of the belts 83, S5 continuously as the arm B oscillates in a pendulum movement from the position shown in section, in FIGURE 6, to the position shown in dotted lines, in that figure, and back again.

As the arm B moves from right to left (FIGURE 6), it deposits a layer of Web on the floor 1?. As the arm B reaches the left-hand end of its stroke, it contacts the foot 211 of the separating device, and this swings the blade Z7, in a right-hand direction, into contact with the end of the web, thus severing, from the web, the length, which has just been deposited along the floor 19. As the web is separated by the blade 2 37, a current of air is emitted from the nozzle (plate 151) to blow the web W in a downward direction, acting across its entire width, the nozzle being the same width as the web. The arm B swings back again, towards the right, with the web being continuously fed from between the belts 33 and 85, until the arm B reaches the right-hand position when it bumps up against the foot 111, and causes the blade 107 to move to the left, separating the web just before the arm B starts to move again, to the left. The nozzle 143, at the other side of the frame B, operates to force the web down as the arm B starts to move from right to left.

As the first layer of web is depoisted on the base 19; see FIGS. 1 and 8-10, it comes under control of the cooperating rollers. 28 and 3t) and is pulled forward by these rollers. It has been moved forward to a certain extent, by the time the second layer of web is deposited, as the arm moves, and the second layer is then taken under control of the rollers 28 and 30 and this continues as the web layers are deposited in staggered relationship.

The cooperating rollers 28 and 39 pull the composite web forward at a speed so determined that the trailing edge of the first section depositedin the box is just leaving the box as the leading edge of the Nth section just deposited becomes part of the composite web being pulled forward by the cooperating rollers 28 and 3t), and where N isthe resultant of the two factors speed of entry and length of section deposited in the box.

It will be seen that the relationship between the length of section L in feet, the rate of flow of the web R in feet per minute just prior to sectioning, and the number of sections N in the box during operation is expressed by the formula I claim:

1. An apparatus for retarding the rate of flow of a web of fibrous material, comprising, an accumulator box having a pair of side walls, a first pair of cooperating conveyor belts adapted to receive and convey the web into said box, a swinging arm pivotally mounted in said box and having a second pair of conveyor belts mounted therein and adapted to receive the web from said first pair of belts and convey it along the length of said arm, means for driving the respective belts in synchrony, means for moving said arm in oscillating pendulum movement back and forth within said box, said box being provided with an arcuate floor adapted to receive the web coming from said second pair of belts and having a delivery end, means on said box for severing the web at each end of the stroke of the arm and operated by said arm thereby to release a length of web at the end of each stroke for addition to the preceding lengths to form a pile of web sections, cooperating rollers adjacent to the delivery end of said floor to engage said pile of web sections and to feed it forward, means for driving the cooperating rollers at a predetermined rate in synchrony with that of said belts whereby the composite web formed by the sections is removed at a speed R which equals where R is the rate of entry of the web into the accumulator box and N is the number of sections deposited in arriving at a composite web of constant thickness.

2. An apparatus for decelerating the rate of flow of a web of fibrous material, comprising, an accumulator box having a pair of side walls, a first pair of cooperating conveyor belts adapted to receive therebetween and convey the Web into said box, a swinging arm pivotally mounted in said box and having a second pair of conveyor belts mounted therein and adapted to receive therebetween the web from said first pair of belts and convey it along the length of said arm, means for driving the respective belts in synchrony, means for moving said arm in oscillating pendulum movement back and forth within said box, said box being provided with a fixed sloping floor disposed adjacent to said arm and adapted to receive the web coming from said second pair of belts and having a delivery end, means on said box for positively severing the web at each end of the stroke of the arm and operated by said arm to release a length of web at the end of each stroke for addition to the preceding lengths to form a pile of Web sections, cooperating rollers adjacent to the delivery end of said floor to engage said pile of web sections positively and to feed it forward in web-lengthwise direction, means for driving the cooperating rollers at a predetermined rate of rotation in synchrony with that of the belts whereby the composite Web formed by the pile of web sections is removed at the same speed as the initial web is fed, thereby to provide a composite web of constant thickness.

3. An apparatus for decelerating the rate of flow of a web of fibrous material, comprising, an accumulator box having a pair of side walls, a first pair of cooperating conveyor belts adapted to receive and convey the web into said box, a swinging arm pivotally mounted in said box and having a second pair of conveyor belts mounted therein and adapted to receive the web from said first pair of belts and convey it along the length of said arm, means for driving the respective belts in synchrony, means for moving said arm in oscillating pendulum movement back and forth Within said box, said box being provided with a floor adapted 'to receive the web coming from said second pair of belts and having a delivery end, means on said box for severing the web at each end of the stroke of the arm and operated by said arm to release a length of web at the end of each stroke for addition to the preceding lengths to form a pile of Web sections, cooperating rollers adjacent to the delivery end of said floor to engage said pile of web sections and to feed it forward, means for driving the cooperating rollers at a predetermined rate of rotation in synchrony with that of said belts whereby the composite web formed by the pile of web sections is removed at the same speed as the web is fed, thereby to provide a composite web of constant thickness, said arm being provided adjacent to the delivery end of its belts with at least one air delivery nozzzle adapted to blow a stream of air against the length of web just severed as the arm passes over it to urge it towards the pile, an air supply conduit connected to said air delivery nozzle, an air supply valve connected to said air supply conduit, said air supply valve having a connection with said oscillating arm whereby the valve is opened to supply air to said nozzle in timed relationship with the movement of said arm.

4. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, in which said arm is provided adjacent to the delivery end of its belts with means for blowing a stream of air against the section of Web just severed as the arm passes over it to urge it towards the pile of web sections.

5. An apparatus for decelerating the rate of flow of a web of fibrous material, comprising, a stationary support carrying a receiving surface elongated in the direction of travel of the web and having a delivery end, distributing means for receiving and positively gripping a web under pressure while conveying it to a position adjacent to said receiving surface and for continuously depositing it on said surface, means on said support and operated by the movement of said distributing means to sever positively at the end of each stroke thereby to release a length of web for addition to preceding lengths to form a web-width pile of lengths, the receiving surface being in fixed web-sideways position relative to the distributing means, take-up means adjacent to the delivery end of the receiving surface to positively grip under pressure and feed forward in web-lengthwise direction said pile continuously as the lengths are being deposited whereby the length are laid in the pile in staggered lengthwise relationship, the take-up means being adapted to feed forward the pile of web lengths at a speed R which equals where R is the rate of feed of the web onto said receiving surface and N the number of lengths deposited, thereby forming a composite Web of substantially constant thickness, said receiving surface comprising a fixed surface bowed in the weblengthwise direction and said distributing means being movable in a curved path adjacent to said receiving surface.

6. An apparatus for decelerating the rate of flow of a web of fibrous material, comprising, a stationary support carrying a sloping curved receiving'surface elongated in the direction of travel of the web and having a delivery end, a swinging arm pivotally mounted on said support and having a pair of conveyor belts mounted therein and adapted to receive the web therebetween and to convey it along the length of said arm, means for feeding the web to the belts at the pivoted end of said arm, means for driving the respective belts in synchrony, means for moving the arm in oscillating pendulum movement back and forth with its swinging end adjacent to said receiving surface, means on said support for severing web at each end of the stroke of the arm and operated by the arm to release a length of web at the end of each stroke for addition to the preceding lengths to form a pile of web sections, means adjacent to the delivery end of said floor to engage said pile of web sections and to feed it forward.

7. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 6, in which the arm is provided adjacent to the delivery end of the belts with means for blowing a stream of air against the section of web just severed to urge it towards the pile.

8. A method of decelerating the rate of flow of a web of fibrous material, comprising, positively gripping a web under pressure while feeding it forward lengthwise at a constant speed to a position close to a receiving surface fixed in web-sideways position, projecting the web in back and forth movements onto said receiving surface, positively severing the Web at the end of each movement and depositing equal length one on top of the other to form a pile of web sections, positively gripping the pile of web sections at an end and under pressure and continuously withdrawing it from the receiving surface in Web-lengthwise direction and forming a composite web in which the lengths are staggered lengthwise, removing the pile from the receiving surface at a constant speed R which equals where R is the rate of feed of the web onto the receiving surface and N is the number of lengths deposited, thereby forming a composite Web of substantially constant thickness, and blowing a stream of air on the end of each severed length immediately as it is severed to urge it toward the receiving surface.

(References on following page) References flied by the Examiner 77,532 UNITED STATES PATENTS 22 822; 2,451,260 10/48 Tucker 19-163 X 2311798 1 11,024 FOREIGN PATENTS 109,375 71,376 10/93 Germany.

73,480 8/93 Germany.

DONALDW. PARKER, Primaly Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING THE RATE OF FLOW OF A WEB OF FIBROUS MATERIAL, COMPRISING, AN ACCUMULATOR BOX HAVING A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS, A FIRST PAIR OF COOPERATING CONVEYOR BELTS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND CONVEY THE WEB INTO SAID BOX, A SWINGING ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID BOX AND HAVING A SECOND PAIR OF OF CONVEYOR BELTS MOUNTED THEREIN AND CONVEY IT ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID ARM, MEANS BELTS AND CONVEY IT ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID ARM, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE RESPECTIVE BELTS IN SYNCHRONY, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARM IN OSCILLATING PENDULUM MOVEMENT BACK AND FORTH WITHIN SAID BOX, SAID BOX BEING PROVIDED WITH AN ARCUATE FLOOR ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE WEB COMING FROM SAID SECOND PAIR OF BELTS AND HAVING A DELIVERY END, MEANS ON SAID BOX FOR SERVING THE WEB AT EACH END OF THE STROKE OF THE ARM AND OPERATED BY SAID ARM THEREBY TOP RELEASE A LENGTH OF WEB AT THE END OF EACH STROKE FOR ADDITION TO THE PRECEDING LENGTHS TO FORM A PILE OF WEB SECTIONS, COOPERATING ROLLERS ADJACENT TO THE DELIVERY END OF SAID FLOOR TO ENGAGE SAID PILE OF WEB SECTIONS AND TO FEED IT FORWARD, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE COOPERATING ROLLERS AT A PREDETERMINED RATE SYNCHRONY WITH THAT OF SAID BELTS WHEREBY THE COMPOSITE WEB FORMED BY THE SECTIONS IS REMOVED AT A SPEED R2 WHICH EQUALS 